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Social Media, Censorship and Securitization in the United States and India

Roy, Enakshi
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1501849533632077

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Journalism (Communication).
Using the theoretical perspectives of Spiral of Silence and Securitization, this dissertation examines (1) how censorship practices such as content removal were employed by the United States and the Indian governments to securitize the internet and social media, and (2) whether such practices contribute to an online spiral of silence. To explore these aspects, this study used a mixed-method approach with in-depth interviews and surveys. Seven interviews with authors of Transparency Reports and legal experts provided information about the U.S. and Indian government-initiated content removal process from Google Web Search, Blogger, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter between 2010 and 2015. Surveys with 587 respondents from the United States and India explored self-censorship on Facebook and Twitter, on issues related to national security and government criticism. The findings indicate that in the United States, “defamation” is the frequently cited yet an often-misused reason for content removal, while in India “religious offense” and “defamation” are prominent reasons for content takedowns. On several occasions, protected speech was removed from the internet and social media in both countries. Such acts of state-level censorship, in turn impacts self-censoring on controversial issues by individuals on social media. The implications here are that using the law to criminalize dissent increases self-censorship and this is counter-productive to democratic discourse.
Yusuf Kalyango, Jr., Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Aimee Edmondson, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Eve Ng, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Nukhet Sandal, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
241 p.
Communication; Information Technology; International Law; Journalism; Legal Studies; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Technology
Transparency Report; Internet censorship; Internet censorship USA, India; Internet Securitization; Spiral of Silence public opinion; public opinion social media; social media censorship; content removal; Google, Facebook, Twitter transparency reporting

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Citations

  • Roy, E. (2017). Social Media, Censorship and Securitization in the United States and India [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1501849533632077

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Roy, Enakshi. Social Media, Censorship and Securitization in the United States and India. 2017. Ohio University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1501849533632077.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Roy, Enakshi. "Social Media, Censorship and Securitization in the United States and India." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1501849533632077

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1501849533632077
188
© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.